Make your own Ezekiel bread

Judyrae Kruse is taking some well-earned time off. Here is an encore column from March 2009.

It’s great to hear from former Arlington resident Gracie Dinsmore, who still reads the Forum but now makes her home in Sparta, Mo.

“This recipe for Ezekiel bread is from the October-November 2008 issue of Taste of Home magazine,” she says.

Next, Everett helper-outer Nancy Wilson writes, “Perhaps B. Thomsen of Stanwood would like this recipe for Ezekiel bread. I’ve never baked it, but the recipe appeared in a recent issue of Taste of Home magazine, and was submitted by Roger Hawley of Valley Park, Mo. Sounds good!”

And a third identical recipe, taken from the exact same source, comes to us courtesy of Goldie Foss of Everett, who tells us, “I’ve made this bread and it’s very good.”

So here we go with the how-to for:

Ezekiel bread

3packages dry yeast

5cups warm (110-115 degrees) water, divided

1tablespoon plus 2/3 cup honey, divided

2/3cup canola oil

1/2cup sugar

2teaspoons salt

4cups whole-wheat flour

1cup toasted wheat germ

6-8 cups bread flour, divided

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 3/4 cup of the warm water and 1 tablespoon of the honey.

Add the remaining water and honey, the oil, sugar, salt, whole-wheat flour, wheat germ and 3 cups of the bread flour.

Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining bread flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Place in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Shape into 4 loaves. Place each loaf in a 3-by-5-by-9-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

Bake loaves at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Makes 4 loaves, 16 slices each.

The Forum is always happy to receive your contributions and requests, so don’t hesitate to send them along to Judyrae Kruse at the Forum, c/o The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

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